Before you know it, we'll be saying goodbye to school, and hello to summer!
Making a summer bucket list with your family is a fun way to make sure you spend your time and energy on things that make memories, and really mean something to you. Those bucket list activities don't have to cost boatloads of money though!
Here's a whole list of summer family activity ideas that are free or super low cost, but huge on fun!
1. Spend An Entire Day at The Seaside

Always having to drag your kids away from the beach? Me too! Take advantage of the leisurely summer schedule by spending not just a few hours, but an entire day at the beach.
The kids will get their fill of sun and sand, and as a bonus...they'll probably sleep in the next day!
2. Go For a Picnic
Is there anything more quintessentially summertime, than a good picnic?
Grab some favorite finger foods, and that old picnic basket, and head for the park, beach, or even the backyard!
3. Go Fly a Kite
Even just a dollar store kite can bring hours of fun, if you've got a breezy day and a nice open field.
Or, why not spend the morning crafting your own kites, then take them outside to test them? You may find yourself on a mission to build better and better kites as the summer goes on. There are some excellent books on kite making, so consider putting in a request at the library, and they'll be on hand when you need them.
4. Hike a Mountain
Put on your hiking shoes, and head to the hills. If you're blessed with a nice mountain range nearby, you may even want to make this a regular event over the summer, as you see how many peaks and trails you can check off your list.
Don't forget to bring those water bottles, and stay well hydrated!
5. Keep a Scrapbook
Print out pictures of your special bucket list activities as you do them over the summer, and keep a scrapbook as you go along.
When you get to the end of August, it's going to be so much fun to look back, and peruse all those wonderful memories you've made!
6. Make Ice Cream
Making ice cream at home is so much fun, and so delicious. It also has a way of becoming addictive, as you think of more and more flavor combinations to try! Don't be daunted, if you don't have an ice cream maker. Just look for no-churn ice cream recipes--there are lots of great ones to try!
Want to make that ice cream in the photos? It's this Espresso Ice Cream with a Fudge Swirl.
7. Go For a Family Bike Ride
Find a family friendly bike trail, and strap on those bike helmets!
Going for a bike ride is just so much fun, and you can cover a lot more territory than if you're walking. If you've got young kids, plan to start easy, and slowly increase your distance as their endurance and confidence grows.
8. Camp Out Overnight
Get out a tent, or borrow one, and have a nighttime adventure in the great outdoors!
This is such a fun chance to build a campfire, do some campfire cookery, and toast marshmallows while you tell stories or sing campfire songs.
9. Stargaze
Take advantage of those warm summer nights (and no early school mornings!), and let the kids stay up late for some quality stargazing time.
Consider taking out some astronomy books, or a star map from the local library. If you're lucky, your library may even lend out telescopes! Some do, and it definitely doesn't hurt to ask.
10. Jump In a Lake
There is absolutely nothing like a day spent in and around a nice cool lake.
I always like to bring extra towels when we're going to spend a day lakeside, because I know the kids will be in and out of the water so much those towels will be soaked by lunchtime.
11. Grow a Garden
Even if you have just the tiniest bit of earth, it's still fun to grow something! Whether it's flowers, herbs, or veggies, planting something and watching it grow over the course of the summer is just so satisfying!
12. Watch the Independence Day Fireworks
Few nighttime activities are more exciting to a kid, than the fireworks show on the Fourth of July!
If you can, don't just catch a glimpse from home, get down where the good viewing is--whether that be a local park, beach, or ball field. Bring plenty of snacks for the wait once you claim a good spot, and extra sweatshirts or blankets to stave off that evening chill as the sun goes down.
13. Visit Some Baby Farm Animals
If you have farms nearby with roadside stands, chances are, they may offer customers an opportunity to come meet the new additions to the farm. (Where there's cow or goat milk, there's bound to be calves and kids, after all!)
There's absolutely nothing like getting a chance to snuggle some new farm babies.
14. Create a Sidewalk Chalk Masterpiece
Pick up an inexpensive bin of colorful sidewalk chalk, and turn the driveway into an art gallery!
It's amazing how long kids can enjoy covering every possible inch of paved surface with colorful chalk art. Don't forget to take pictures before they get smudged, or the rain washes them away!
15. Grill Some New Recipes
Borrow a cookbook of amazing grill recipes, or find some online that sound amazing, and then grill your way through them.
Have you ever tried grilling your dessert? We love these easy grilled dessert recipes for a fun change!
16. Go On a Road Trip
There's nothing like jumping in the family car, and heading somewhere you've never been before--even if it's a day trip within the state.
As kids get older, that radius of what constitutes a "day trip" extends. Consider grabbing a traveler's guidebook to your own state, and choosing some must-do activities or sights together, to put on your summer list!
17. Enjoy a U-Pick Berry Farm
Ok, this one's definitely not free, especially if your kids can eat their weight in berries, like mine. But, you've got to buy food anyway, so why not buy some of your produce for the week right at a u-pick berry patch?
Strawberries and Blueberries are our favorites to pick right from the patch, but you might find raspberries, blackberries, or even less common ones like mulberries, gooseberries, or Saskatoon berries available.
18. Make an Old Fashioned Blueberry Pie
With all those fresh blueberries, don't forget to save some for a good old fashioned blueberry pie.
Don't have a family recipe? We love this one!
19. Have a Lawn Game Tournament
Set up those croquet hoops, get out the corn hole board, and declare a lawn games tournament!
This can be fun with a bunch of friends, or even just with your family. Offering some inexpensive but coveted prizes for the winners can really add to the excitement.
20. Make Homemade Popsicles
Forget those predictable, artificially-bright popsicles that come from the ice cream aisle. Make this the Summer of Endless Popsicles by getting a popsicle mold, and trying some easy homemade recipes.
Here are some of our absolute favorite popsicle recipes!
21. Run Through the Sprinkler
Have fun running through that sprinkler...yes, you too!
There's nothing like the thrill of that freezing cold water raining down on your back, on a hot summer day. Slice a watermelon, put on the bathing suits, and turn the sprinkler on!
22. Go to a Museum
While taking the whole family to a museum may sound pricey, don't forget that most libraries have a collection of free or reduced-admission passes that they lend out to library patrons.
You may find you can take the whole family to every library in your area this summer, for nothing more than the cost of the gas to get there! We especially love old train museums. Animal parks, science centers, and living history museums are other destinations you may find your museum offers passes for.
23. Take Your Swimming to the Next Level
If you've got access to the lake, or a community pool, make it a goal for everyone to improve their swimming skills this summer.
The kids might challenge themselves to get to the next Red Cross swimming skills level. Don't leave yourself out though. Find your capability level, and consider working to build your own swimming endurance and technique. It's a great skill to have!
24. Make You Own Drive-In Movie Night
Also on the list of things your library might have available to check out--movie projectors!
Stretch a white sheet on the side of the house, set it up, pick a movie the whole family will enjoy. Don't forget to pop some popcorn and bring out some classic candies, just like at the drive-in!
25. Host an Old Fashioned Garden Party
Get out your fancy hats, and host a little backyard garden party.
Tea and punch, as well as tea sandwiches and little cakes, cookies, or tarts make for a good garden party spread. A game of croquet would offer some old fashioned fun, and to really set the tone, put on a playlist of your favorite classical music!
26. Go Fishing
Gather the tackle box and some night crawlers, and take the family down to the lake for a fun day of fishing.
Did you know that fishing poles are yet another thing that some libraries lend? It's true. Helping a kid learn to cast a line, and watching the thrill as they reel in a fish, is so much fun. Don't forget to take some great photos for that summer scrapbook!
27. Enjoy an Outdoor Play or Concert
Many local community parks will host theater and music events for admission on a donation basis. I just love it when cultural event are made available to anyone this way!
You might find a local concert series, Shakespeare in the Park, or even a musical that the whole family will love.
28. Build a Treehouse or Fort
If you've got a stash of boards and other building materials floating around, chances are you may already have most of what you need for a pretty great tree tree. The kids will ALWAYS remember the summer you built the tree house together!
Even if you don't have lumber and it's not in the budget, just a temporary fort made out of tree branches, or even cardboard boxes, can be a huge amount of fun!
29. Mix Up Some Amazing Mocktails
Forget cocktails, bring on the family-friendly fun and fruity drinks known as "mocktails"! Enjoying a fancy drink together makes any day feel special, and it usually doesn't take many ingredients, or much time, to whip one up.
Here are 17 of our favorite alcohol-free mocktail recipes!
30. Do a Reading Challenge
Did you know that Mensa for Kids has an amazing reading challenge? Both of my kids are going to be working their way through their grade-appropriate reading lists this summer, and there are some really great titles on there.
Whether choosing an online option like this, or a program through your local library, setting some reading goals for the summer helps keep summer learning going, and offers some wonderful down time in each day.
31. Collect Something
Slowly building a collection over the course of the summer can be such a fun way to weave a continuous theme throughout the season.
Try basing this on something you plan to do often. If you live near the beach, and know you'll be there at least every week, how about starting a seashell or driftwood collection? If hiking is your jam, it might collecting the most beautiful rock from each of your summer hikes.
Whatever you choose, make it easy, and something you all enjoy looking for. At the end of summer, create a display with all your treasures, as a reminder of the amazing summer you've had as a family!
15 Easy Frozen Desserts So Good We'll Be Making Them All Summer
From frozen pies to homemade ice cream sandwiches, to adorable frozen cupcakes, there's a treat here for all your summer dessert needs, and they're all beginner friendly!
Whether you're looking for a fun treat to offer the kids after they (finally!) climb out of the pool, or an impressive dessert to bring out after that cookout with the neighbors, we've got you covered!
21 Grilling Recipes For the Summer Bucket List (No Burgers Allowed)
We love a good burger as much as the next food enthusiast, but there's a whole world of easy grilling recipes out there that doesn't get served up on a bun.
Don't get trapped in the burger rut this summer, when you can just as easily wow your family with finger-licking grilled chicken skewers, glorious tacos, smoky and succulent salmon, and even pizza!
Here are recipes for all these easy grilling favorites, and so many more!
Anna Chesley
Anna Chesley is a freelance writer living a homestead lifestyle, with a special love for family travel, old books, vintage skills, and seaside living. In addition to founding Salt In My Coffee, she runs the website, New England Family Life, as well as The 1800's Housewife, a website devoted to re-creating authentic 1800's recipes.
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